Charles "Gene" Barton

Barton, C.E. “Gene”, 86, died Friday, September 18, 2015. Gene was born October 6, 1928 to Samuel J. & Hettie J. (Bradford) Barton in Tulsa, OK. Graduating in the Class of 1948 at Tulsa’s Will Rogers High School, Gene married his high school sweetheart, Mona Lee Carroll, in January of 1949. They celebrated 66 years together before her death in July of this year. They operated a business together, Barton Construction Company, Inc., for over 50 years. They also raised a fun-loving family, teaching them music, art and photography, surrounding them with love and laughter. Together, they created many wonderful memories with their children of their summer weekends at Oklahoma lakes, annual vacations to National Parks, and private plane trips around the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Gene & Mona were membership coordinators of the Class of ’48, Will Rogers High School. They kept in touch with members, writing and mailing newsletters, monthly luncheons, and keeping the class roster updated for many years. Gene worked as a professional photographer for the midget and stock car races in Tulsa and Dewey, in the 1950’s, with his best friend from High School, Danley Clow, and later working with Bob McCormack and Glen Nelson in Tulsa as a wedding photographer. He was awarded First Place for Outstanding Color Photograph (Architectural Division) in the Professional Photographer’s Association National Conference two years in a row in the 1960’s. Gene worked many years as an Architectural Photographer. With hundreds of interior and exterior photographs of many churches and buildings in Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas, he sold custom church bulletins for MWM Color Press. Many of his transparencies were awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in the Professional Photographers of Oklahoma annual Conferences. He also began working as a supervisor in construction in the late 50’s, where he worked with renowned architect Bill Ryan to construct the now famous, iconic landmark, the Lutheran Church on the hill overlooking Broken Arrow. He formed his own company Barton Construction Co., Inc. in 1964, which is still run by the family. While much of his work is housed out of public sight, many structures he supervised and built are still in use: the Canopies at the Arrival Gate at Tulsa International Airport; Air Cargo Building at Tulsa International Airport; the original Dickason-Goodman Hardware store on Harvard at 39th street, and the original Dickason-Goodman Kitchen Design Centre on Yale at 29th street; the original Broken Arrow High School additions; all in use today. Gene was a private pilot for over 30 years, putting in thousands of hours of flying time across the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as in the Caribbean. As the Maintenance Office for the Skyways Flying Club, Gene kept multiple planes ready for use by the members. He is survived by daughter, Dorothy Jannette (Jann) Barton, and her husband, Danny Edmond (Dan) Lucas; daughter, Carol Ann Barton Neilson; son, Samuel Eugene Barton and his wife, Lorelei Kaiser Barton; and daughter, Linda Joy and her husband, Art Paul. All reside in Tulsa. He is survived by 11 grandchildren: Donald Lee Lawrence III, and his partner Kevin Gaylor, of Tulsa; Kenneth Eugene Lawrence, and his wife Tina Clair of Severn, Maryland; also in Tulsa, Seth Erik Barton, and his wife Patricia; Kara Jade Barton; Jared Lane Barton; Joshua Forest Slocum; twin sisters Lori Ann Slocum & Jessie Lee Slocum Garretson; Emma Lee Lucas; Tammy Kristene Trotter, her husband, Joe Byron; and Scott Alan Paul, and his wife Elisabeth Joana (Ella), of Frisco, Texas. He is survived by 12 outstanding great-grandchildren: Isabel Rose & Ashley Nicole Lawrence of Severn, Maryland; from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ian Lyric and Lynie Ray-Ann Bailey: Kylee Ann Garretson; Addison Slocum; Danielle Poppy & Natalie Sunny Barton; Chandler Nicole & Luke Paul Trotter; and Rocco Evan & Zara Elisabeth Paul of Frisco, Texas. Also surviving Gene is his sister-in-law Helen Carroll of Broken Arrow; and Helen’s daughter Diana and son Steven, and his wife Naysa, and their children and grandchildren. A celebration of life will be at Fellowship Lutheran Church, 6727 So Sheridan. Doors open at 1:30 with a viewing in the Common Area, and the service will begin at 2 PM in the Sanctuary. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery, Tulsa, OK. Please share a memory with the family @ www.moorefuneral.com. Flowers are welcomed, and donations in Gene’s name are encouraged to: St. Simeon’s Home, Miller Hospice, and the Will Rogers High School Foundation.

Charles "Gene" Barton

October 6, 1928 - September 18, 2015